Cartridge loading tool



June 17, 1952 J. D. CRUMP CARTRIDGE LOADING TOOL Filed May 4, 1951 BY Wflmuwz 49mm ATTORNEYS.

4 R w M m u w m 0 Z 3 m M G. 2 H m v 4 a e Q M G. wWW -WW W WM 2 a M. /7fi Z Z 4 w Patented June 17, 1952 CARTRIDGE LOADING TOOL John D. Crump, Ontario, Oreg.

Application May 4, 1951, Serial No. 224,544

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements, in tools for use in loading or reloading ammunition cartridges, and more particularly to a device for accurately seating bullets in cartridge cases, the primary object of the invention being to save time, work, and failure in obtaining the proper seating depth of bullets in their cases.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above which incorporates in a unit for use with an ordinary bullet seater, such as that disclosed in Patent No. 1,933,940, granted November 7, 1933, to Sutton, both the means for measuring the seating depth of a bullet in its case and the length of the bullet, in such manner that need for the usual additional equipment is eliminated. In present procedures several micrometers are required for measuring the length of the bullet, for measuring the length of the case, and for measuring the overall length of the loaded cartridge, the lengths of the bullet and case when obtained being subtracted from the combined lengths of the bullet and case to provide a figure for setting the seating die by trial and error. In accordance with the present invention most of these steps and operations are eliminated, together with their liability to error and inaccuracy.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, merely for present purposes of illustration, a specific embodiment of the invention is, set forth in detail.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing the device in place in a conventional bullet seater frame or base; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated tool which is generally designated '5, is shown mounted on the head 5 of the C-shaped frame or base I of a conventional bullet seater. The head 6 of such a conventional bullet seater frame or base has an inclined threaded bore 8 and a flat upper end 9. Axially aligned with the bore 8 is a cartridge or shell case holder I having on its upper end an arcuate part II for conformably engaging the rim I2 of a cartridge case I4 so as to hold the case in axial alignment with the holder in and the bore 8.

The tool comprises a tubular seating die sleeve l5 which threads downwardly in the bore 8 and is formed internally at its lower end with a chamber 46. for conformably receiving the cartridge case M, an upwardly tapering shoulder IT at the upper end of the chamber It being engaged by the taper l8 joining the main body of the case [4 with its bullet receiving neck H9. The bore 20 above the chamber I6 is larger in diameter than the neck 19 and is internally threaded. The lower threaded part 2! of the sleeve I5 accommodates a lock nut 22 adapted to be turned down against the upper end 9 of the head 6 of the bullet. seater frame to lock the sleeve l5 in place with the shoulder 23 at the lower end of its external threads engaged with an internal shoulder 24 provided in the lower part of the head bore 8. The exterior of the upper part of the sleeve i5 is preferably knurled as indicated at 25. While the structure described immediately above is to be found in the patent mentioned above, the association therewith of the tool 5 of the present invention is new as is the structure of the said tool, and its operative cooperation therewith.

The tool 5 of the present invention comprises the case [4, which is a dummy case and may be solid in construction, to serve for setting the tool for subsequent reloading operators employing actual cases.

The tool 5 further comprises the tubular bullet sleeve 26 which has an external enlargement or collar 21 midway between its ends, through which a set screw 28 is threaded. The upper half 29 of the bore of the sleeve 26 is threaded and the lower half 3%, which is slightly larger in diameter, is smooth and the set screw 28 enters the upper part of the lower half, as shown in Figure 2. Below the collar 2] the sleeve 26 is externally threaded, as indicated at 3!, to engage the internal threads 20 of the die sleeve I5; and the, exterior of the sleeve 26 above the collar 2'! is smooth, as indicated at 32.

Threaded downwardly in the upper half of the bore of the sleeve 26 is the spindle 33 which is externally threaded throughout its length, except for a smooth head 34 on its lower end, which head is formed with a conical recess 35 for conformably receiving the point or tip 36 of the bullet 31. The head 34 slidably engages the smooth lower half 3!] of the bore of the bullet sleeve 26.

Threaded downwardl on the spindle 33 above the bullet sleeve 26 is the micrometer head 38 which has a skirt or sleeve portion 39 spacedly surrounding the spindle 33 and rotatably and slidably receiving and circumposed upon the smooth upper part of the .bullet sleeve 25. The lower end of the skirt 39 has a circumferential micrometer scale 40 thereon and the smooth upper part of the bullet sleeve 26 has thereon a straight longitudinal line 4| as reference for the scale 40. Theaded on the spindle 33 above the micrometer head 38 is a lock nut 42 adapted to be threaded down against the head 38 to lock the same in adjusted or selected position on the spindle 33. The micrometer scale 40 is calibrated from zero to 49. The screw threads of the nut 42, spindle 33, bullet sleeve bore are all preferably 4 inch 1-20 N. C.

In use and operation, the bullet seating die of the old type of device is removed and is replaced in the frame head 6 by the above described tool assembly 5, the bullet sleeve 26 being threaded down into the sleeve [5. The dummy case M is then put in place in the bore of the bullet sleeve 26 with the desired bullet 31 on the upper end of the dummy case M. The dummy case M being solid, the bullet 31 will not enter its neck portion 19. The spindle 33 is then screwed downwardly until the conical recess 35 firmly engages the tip 36 of the bullet 3?, the lower end of the case M having first been properly engaged with the upper end of the case holder If].

The micrometer head 38 is then screwed downwardly along the spindle 33 until its skirt 39 covers about one-half inch of the upper end of the bullet sleeve 26. The micrometer head 38 is then further rotated, if necessary to place the zero of the scale 40 on the line 4| of the sleeve 25. The nut 42 is tightened against the top of the micrmeter head 38 to lock the setting or adjustment thereof. This secures the spindle 33, and the micrometer head 38 together as a rigidly connected solid unit.

The dummy case M is then removed and the unit composed of micrometer head 33 and spindle 33, is then rotated as a unit relative to the die sleeve 26 so as to lower the same to obtain the desired depth. Each graduation of the micrometer scale 40 equals inch so that one complete revolution of the unit equals V inch. The desired depth adjustment having been thus obtained, the set screw 28 in collar 2'! on the bullet sleeve 26 is tightened against the spindle 33 so that in effect the micrometer head 38, the spindle 33, and the bullet sleeve are locked together in a solid unit while the device is being used. Actual or real cases and bullets are then used in the device, and the bullet seating operations characteristic of the type of machine involved are initiated and continued as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a bullet seating frame having a case holder and a head having a bore aligned with said holder, a tubular seatin die sleeve secured in the head bore, said die sleeve having a bore for receiving a case and bein formed with an interior shoulder adapted to be engaged by a taper on the case so as to preclude endwise movement of the case in a direction away from said case holder, a tubular bullet sleeve having an externally threaded end portion threaded in the end of the die sleeve remote from the case holder and an externally smooth end portion, the bore of said bullet sleeve being internally threaded in the region of said smooth end portion and being internally smooth in the region of said externally threaded end portion of the bullet sleeve, a threaded spindle threaded through the threaded portion of the bullet sleeve bore and having a smooth head slidably engaging the smooth portion of the bullet sleeve bore, said spindle head being formed in the end thereof facing said case holder with a conical recess for accommodating the tip of a bullet, a micrometer head threaded on said spindle adjacent to the smooth end portion of the bullet sleeve and having a tubular skirt rotatably and slidably receiving said smooth end portion, said sleeve having a circumferential micrometer scale thereon, a longitudinal reference line on said smooth end portion with which graduations of the micrometer scale can be aligned, a lock nut on said spindle arranged to engage and lock said micrometer head in selected position on said spindle, and a set screw traversing said bullet sleeve and engageable with said spindle for locking the spindle and bullet sleeve together against relative rotation.

2. In a tool of the character described, a tubular bullet sleeve having an externally threaded end portion adapted to be threaded in the threaded bore of the die sleeve of a bullet seating machine, said bullet sleeve having an externally smooth portion on its opposite end, said bullet sleeve having a bore including an internally threaded portion located in the region of said smooth end portion and an internally smooth portion located in the region of said externally threaded end portion of the bullet sleeve, a threaded spindle threaded through the threaded portion of the bullet sleeve bore and having a smooth head slidably engaging the smooth portion of the bullet sleeve bore, said spindle head being formed in the end thereof facing said case holder with a conical recess for accommodating the tip of a bullet, a micrometer head threaded on said spindle adjacent to the smooth end portion of the bullet sleeve and having a tubular skirt rotatably and slidably receiving said smooth end portion, said sleeve having a circumferential micrometer scale thereon, a longitudinal reference line on said smooth end portion with which graduations of the micrometer scale can be aligned, a lock nut on said spindle arranged to engage and lock said micrometer head in selected position on said spindle, and a set screw traversing said bullet sleeve and engageable with said spindle for locking the spindle and bullet sleeve together against relative rotation.

JOHN D. CRUMP.

No references cited. 

